What's blooming in your yard?

[Angela273]

Now that I am looking into it, I think that my squash pictures in the above post are spaghetti squash that were cross pollinated with zucchini. I planted seeds from packages from the store. My research indicates that the seeds that I planted were already cross pollinated.

This made me look more closely at the squash that I harvested last week when 3 days of frost was forecast. I thought that the top and middle squahs were butternut squash (first time successfully growing them), and the one at the bottom is a spaghetti squash (which I have grown before). Problem is, the butternut squash aren't the right colour. Is this because they need more time to ripen? Or did something else go wrong? When I googled under-ripe butternut squash, the picture looked like mine.

[GoJays]

Ahhh, the rare and ellusive Buttghetti Zuke!

[avoncallingu]

I noticed today that the allissum (sp?) that I planted in a box has started to bloom - it didn't do ANYTHING all summer. But it's a pretty little corner now. My 2 tomato plants grew to great heights but never a tomato did they yield! A couple of blooms but no fruit. I think that I planted them in too shady a spot. The small tree beside them didn't seem that important but I think it did my tomato plants in. Bunnies "helped themselves" to my other veggies. I'm a pretty lazy gardener! The morning glory has really been blooming nicely - lovely purple! My geraniums are blooming nicely since it has cooled down and it has started to rain a bit.

[Patty Smyth]

I built a trellis to grow climbers in my other raised bed. I may try some vine squash next year and of course more cukes. This one is 7 feet tall by 8 feet wide, used chicken wire(got it free) and 3 x 2 x4's so total cost about $10 happy happy

[Patty Smyth]

[Ciel]

Butternut squash-thought they looked kind of offwhite as starting off then turning slight yellow/orange colour as they mature in one parent's garden (I read online that harvesting a few at a time gives other squashes energy to grow). Angela's pics do suggest a zucchini hue to her squashes.
One parent has 3 squashes growing in a clump smack dab in some euonymus placed in one area of enclosed garden. The other garden in the sunny spot has been turned over after the last tomato plants were taken down. Now the garlic planting is due (last year, it was done at the end of Sept, earliest that I recall it being done) when the lunar cycle is right (waning moon).

Alyssum (tiny white flowers I call dotted Swiss) takes a long time to show and they started near the end of July/early August this year. The mystery purple/blue flowers I planted three years ago from Mom's saved seeds grew greenery only for most of summer then BAM in September, flowers sprouted. Local bees have been visiting those blooms plus the remaining flowers in the front flower beds. Mom still has three deep red roses in bloom in a back flower bed, a surprise, since there are many chrysanthemum stalks there that have stopped other rose canes from blooming in late August. The lavendar blooms dropped off last month and I see empty seed heads so a quick trim tomorrow to cut back the stalks is in order. Mint will get a trim too (and maybe I'll find a recipe for the leaves because drying them takes time).

BTW, does anyone know which store chain might carry the elusive Oskar light plastic shovel? I had to throw my old one out after last winter because the shovel corners were damaged.

[toban]

I have yanked most of my annuals. The only ones that are holding on are the marigolds although a few are dying. Will likely pull this week. Most of my tomatoes are picked, although a few are still turning red on the vines.

[Patty Smyth]

We foudn a U-pick squash farm, I am so happy. Got butternut, spaghetti, stripetti, acorn for .50 lb

12 lb butternut squash

[Ciel]

Nice squashes! The ones in the garden are barely half the size of the ones you bought!
I made pear crumble on Saturday to use up some pears. Would love to poach some as making pie did not happen today (not in the mood).

I'm encouraging someone to deal with remaining garden produce tomorrow as it will be almost as nice as today. Can't just leave things alone until frost comes as usually happens-besides, it's an excuse to get some sun while moving around in fresh air.

Gave the flowers/mint/lavender their fall trim. Two bees were in the purple flowers--and they seemed to look unmoving. Left them alone after I trimmed the last two stalks they were perched in. Still nothing moving. Budged one stalk-bee moved and took off. The second one seemed to come dozily awake-don't know if it did fall asleep, got buzzed on the pollen or was affected by the receding afternoon sunlight. No more flowers for them-they'll have to make do with the chrysanthemums in the backyard.

When I moved a tall stalk of grass by the house, I saw a black cricket jump away. A small ladybug perched on the back door frame. What you can see when you make time to follow the insects' movements!

[Shwa Girl]

We chopped down the raspberry bush. And surprise, surprise -- 6 raspberries. In October! Delish.

[Frugalbigmama]

Cleaned out the garden yesterday. Have a large bowl of tomatoes to deal with tonight, most are ripe but a few green ones. My green onion finally grew, and is still in the ground. Will plan to make nachos this weekend and use some then.

[Ciel]

I moved the yard waste bags to the collection spot and noticed one bag had clear looking sticky drop. Looked up at the pine trees and any limb that got trimmed was leaking sap in multiple spots. Warm weather at work. When the temperatures drop, am expecting the sap to stop dripping.

Saw lots of choke cherries on vines outside of a survey near the big box stores. Local birds have some food on the go if they know where to fly in (and conveniently situated maples for overnight sleeps nearby).

[toban]

I cleaned up the garden today. Pulled out the Marigolds, picked the last few ripe tomatoes etc. There were a few bumble type bees buzzing around the marigolds before I plucked them out. I have a recycling container I put the flowers, stems in, carried them to the backyard to cut them up. The flowers are laying out on the grass and guess what? The bees had followed into the backyard, and were still collecting pollen off the flowers on the ground lol. I let them have their fun for 20 minutes before destroying the plants. Feels good to get the outside work finished.

[Patty Smyth]

I still have celery, kale and tomatoes lol

Also built a new compost bin today.

[Patty Smyth]

Made a few fall decorations